Basic Blockchain: What It Is and How It Will Transform the Way We Work and Live

Description

The only book you need to understand blockchain: what it is, how it works and how it will transform business, society and our everyday lives. Basic Blockchain is an accessible, non-technical introduction to a revolutionary technology. 'Makes it easy for the average business executive to understand blockchain' -- Chris Larsen, founder and chairman, Ripple 'An essential tool for those looking to distinguish information from noise' -- Eva Kaili, MEP and Chair of The Committee for the Future of Science and Technology A revolution is under way across the globe, yet very few people understand it. Basic Blockchain will explain everything you need to know to understand the technology that will soon disrupt and revolutionise everything from financial and health services to the property market and how we vote. Born of an obscure body of research on game theory developed by NASA, originally championed by drug dealers seeking to launder ill-gotten gains, accelerated by entrepreneurs seeking to improve financial access for the poor, funded by giant corporate interests attracted to the potential for billions of dollars of cost savings, blockchain heralds a new era of financial inclusion, legal inclusion for the dispossessed and lower prices for consumers. In short, it will enact radical change on our lives. In this book, David L. Shrier, one of MIT and Oxford University's leading futurists, explains for the general reader: - The history of blockchain, its apocryphal progenitor Satoshi Nakamoto and the socioeconomic context of its origins in the 2008 financial crisis. - How blockchain works, including the core technologies that drive it such as cryptographic hashes and network theory, all described in simple, understandable terms. - The potential of blockchain, including its impact on our jobs, industry and society as a whole. Blockchain will disrupt and transform our world in profound ways. This accessible book, written by a global authority on blockchain, is the essential introduction to the next technological revolution.

David Shrier is a globally recognised author and expert on technology-driven innovation. He is a Professor of Practice in AI and Innovation with Imperial College Business School, Imperial College London, and also holds an appointment at the Said Business School, University of Oxford. He advises public companies, private enterprise and more than 100 governments on fields such as artificial intelligence, data analytics and financial technology. An educational pioneer, David personally helped revolutionise how online executive training is delivered by the top universities in the world, stimulating entrepreneurial action across more than 150 countries working with over fifteen thousand entrepreneurs and corporate innovators via classes at Oxford and at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. David spends considerable time translating academic theory into business practice, as a public company CEO, co-founder of four AI-enabled spinouts from MIT, and advisor to multiple 'unicorn' technology companies on new business opportunities. He has published five books, Basic Blockchain, Trusted Data, New Solutions for Cyber Security, Trust::Data and Frontiers of Financial Technology. His book Global Fintech is forthcoming from MIT Press. David lives in London.

David, a long-time expert in fintech, makes it easy for the average business executive to understand blockchain. He then shows us some of the exciting possibilities that could one day create trillion-dollar industries Blockchain is already part of our everyday life. Its promise to reinvent the concept of trust and create optimal governance systems for the brave new data economy is ground-breaking. The distributed ledger's utility is to strengthen us as citizens and customers. David Shrier's Basic Blockchain is an essential tool for those looking to distinguish information from noise . . . It is a complete and reliable guide for policy makers, regulators and business leaders who need to make informed decisions beyond the hype David has brought blockchain to life, driving insights into how to use it to promote transparency and efficiency. I found it helpful as I think through optimizing management of a $110 billion investment portfolio Basic Blockchain is a must-read for anyone who wants to get an understanding of this emerging and disruptive technology. It is pitched at the busy executive or public service employee who knows that they should understand blockchain technology and its applications, but just hasn't been able to set aside the time to fully grasp it . . . It's a quick read that anyone can finish during the time it takes to fly from JFK to Bermuda. Well done, David Blockchain could transform everything from financial services and currencies, how we process payments, insurance and medical records to government and the application of law. Shrier clearly illustrates the game-changing role blockchain could play in all kinds of everyday activities and businesses. Basic Blockchain is an excellent and visionary outlook of what a better future could look like